


Water, water, everywhere

by Hypatia_66



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: section7mfu, Gen, Original Character(s), Past Torture, Waterboarding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 17:58:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15176213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypatia_66/pseuds/Hypatia_66
Summary: LJ Short Affair challenge. Prompts: Concert, purple





	Water, water, everywhere

Alexander Waverly was gifted in his reading of men as a rule, and more than lucky in his choices, so he was confident in the team he had put together to work with his two top agents.

Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin were his top agents because, apart from other attributes, they had both undergone military training and had submitted to military discipline. Napoleon had seen active service in war and had won a purple heart, something that, though it appeared in his file, he had never bothered to tell anyone. Illya had also seen active service, though not in a hot war, had been in danger several times and he had even been hurt. If he had been awarded any kind of medal, he too had kept it to himself. That shared experience of military life had not only made them successful in partnership but helped to make them the brilliant agents they were.

But as well as teaching discipline and obedience to orders, military training taught you to work together in alliance, in a team, or at least in cooperation, with many others.

So why was Illya being so difficult about the other agents Waverly had detailed for this mission? Why the silent insubordination, what the British called “dumb insolence”? Napoleon had failed to elicit the slightest clue from his partner. He wasn’t usually like this. Well, not as bad as this.

Napoleon knew he could rely on him, knew he would have _his_ back, no matter what. But what about the safety of the others – the girl especially, whom he actively shunned? Dislike wasn’t unusual, but contempt, revulsion?

Where _was_ Illya, anyway? He would normally be here by now. Napoleon called reception – Yes, he had arrived. Any idea where he had gone? No, sorry.

oo000oo

Rather than calling him, Napoleon took the elevator down to the lab – when Illya was in a sulk, that was often where he would go. What was a man of his age doing, having a sulk? Stupid guy.

“Ah, you’re here,” he said cheerfully, seeing Illya bent over his bench, a magnifying glass in his hand.

“Mm?”

“Will you be long? We ought to go over the details of the mission.”

Illya looked up. “I’m busy,” he said.

“Yeah, I can see that, but the mission comes first, so if you can leave whatever it is, I’d appreciate it.”

“Very well.” He tidied his bench, and followed Napoleon back to their office, neither of them uttering a word. In the office, he sat down and waited.

“First, I need to know that you’re on side as far as the rest of the team goes,” said Napoleon, turning to look at him.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t be?”

Napoleon breathed out, flaring his nostrils a little. “Illya, you know what I’m talking about,” he said abruptly. “You’re a top agent, used to working in a team, pulling your weight like a … I don’t know, a musician in an orchestra. But you don’t seem to want to play in this concert.”

Illya was silent. “What is the matter with you?” Napoleon snapped.

Illya was about to reply ‘Nothing’, but seeing anger in Napoleon’s eyes, he refrained and cast down his eyes.

“Well? I need to know what you’ve got against them.”

“I don’t tell tales, Napoleon.”

So, there _was_ something. “Why won’t you tell me? Don’t you trust me?”

“Not trust _you?_ Of course I do. Just… not them.”

“Why _not?_ What happened between you?”

Illya said nothing, just looked at his lap. Napoleon, now aware that here was something more serious than a simple Kuryakin sulk, said more gently, “Illya, please. I need… I want to know.” He heard a sigh and waited.

“You have heard of interrogation techniques that involve water?” Illya lifted darkened eyes to his.

Napoleon frowned. “I have, but…”

“There is a method which was secretly used by the US military – possibly  because of experiences under the Nazis during the war. It was being ‘tested on volunteers’ when I was in Berlin, ten years ago,” said Illya.

“And you volunteered?” said Napoleon – less than hopefully.

“No. I was … I was kidnapped by US soldiers at Checkpoint Charlie – where I had a pass to come and go, under orders from Harry Beldon.”

Napoleon sat down heavily and stared at Illya. “Are you saying that some of the team Mr Waverly has put together for this mission…?”

“Were involved in kidnap and torture? Yes.” Illya cleared his throat and wiped his forehead. “They said afterwards that they thought I was an East German agent – so nothing happened to them.”

“And you’ve never told anyone?” Napoleon didn’t think he had sounded accusing, but Illya dropped his head in his hands in distress.

“I told the girl,” he said at last in a muffled voice. “She just laughed and said I was making it up because Americans didn’t commit torture.”

Napoleon rose and put a hand on his shoulder, making him start. “And you agreed to come and work here? After what Americans had done to you?” he said softly. “Why?”

“Because it was UNCLE, not because it was America.”

Napoleon brought his chair closer and sat down, “Illya. My friend. I don’t know what to say. Does Waverly know?” Illya shook his head.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” He couldn’t bring himself to ask the real question, ‘Why didn’t you tell _me?_ ’ Perhaps he never would – it might be better not to know.

“I’ve often asked myself that,” said Illya at last. “Maybe it’s like rape. People blame the victim, never the perpetrator. ‘You must have done something to encourage them’… that kind of thing.”

This was so unanswerable that Napoleon was silent. Then he stirred and said, “I’ll get them taken off the mission. We’ll find someone else.”

“Why not take me off it?”

“Because _you_ are not the perpetrator, Illya. That’s why.” Napoleon squeezed his arm and left the room.

ooo0000ooo

**Author's Note:**

> Water has been used in torture since at least the 15th century. It was part of survival school training in the US until relatively recently, and has also, notoriously, been used on enemies, mostly recently under President George W. Bush.


End file.
